-web of life edition- - united states fish and wildlife … plans/lesson 3...that have chisel-like...
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Willapa National Wildlife Refuge
©Suzy Whittey
Refuge Explorer-Web of Life Edition-
Great Blue Heron with Frog
Whenever we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to every-thing else in the universe. -John Muir
Everybody Has a Job in the Web of LifeWeb of Life Fast Facts
Adaptations determine the job an organism has in the 6web of life. Some organisms provide habitat (food or shelter) for other 6organisms.Organisms have many structural adaptations that help them 6survive. We can use these structures to guess the organism’s job. Animals that eat other animals are called PREDATORS. The organisms that are eaten by predators are called PREY.
PRODUCERS make food from non-living elements. Producers are generally plants that use the process of photosynthesis.
HERBIVORES are organisms that eat plants. Look for animals that have chisel-like front teeth that clip and wide, flattened back teeth that grind.
Because these animals do not need to catch moving prey, and are often eaten by other animals, their eyes are located on the sides of the head. This placement helps them to see more of their surroundings at one time.
Red Huckleberry©Rollin Bannow
Snowshoe Hare©Dr. Madeline Kalbach
Gumweed©Shawn Schmelzer
The Scoop on Poop
Some scientists study animal poop, called scat, to discover more about animals. Try your skills as a scatologist. Look at the pictures below and guess what was for dinner.
OMNIVORES are organisms that eat both plants and animals. They have both sharp teeth and grinding teeth.
CARNIVORES are organisms that catch and eat animals. Carnivores have sharp, pointed teeth for catching, holding and slicing prey.
Eyes face forward for sharp vision and depth perception.
SCAVENGERS are organisms that eat animals killed by other organisms. Sometimes herbivores, carnivores and omnivores will scavenge. DETRITIVORES are organisms that “eat” dead plants and animals, as well as scat.
Identifying scat can be important because some animals are hard to find. What they leave behind may be the only clues about them. Some scientists work with trained “scat-sniffing” dogs. These dogs can smell the difference between over a dozen different kinds of scat!
Answers: Coyote: small mammal (hair and bones), Bear: fruit with seeds, Elk: plants
Coyote©Rollin Bannow
Coyote Scat©Julie Tennis
Bear Scat©Suzy Whittey
Elk Scat©Julie Tennis
Raccoon©Suzy Whittey
Bird’s Nest Fungus©Rollin Bannow
Generalists & SpecialistsSome organisms can live in many places and eat almost anything. They are called generalists. Other plants and animals can only live in specific places or eat a few things. These organisms are called specialists.
Willapa National Wildlife Refuge is home to both generalists and specialists. Use your Refuge Explorer smarts to determine if the organisms pictured below are generalists or specialists.
Creature Feature
Rough-skinned
NewtRough-skinned newts are amphibians. They live both on land and in water. On damp days, newts can be seen walking on the forest floor looking for food.
Newts are carnivores, but have no teeth or claws. They simply bump into worms, slugs, insects, and amphibian eggs. They push their prey into their mouths with their stubby feet and toes.
Newts have a bright color on their undersides to warn predators that they secrete a powerful poison. If you meet a rough-skinned newt, observe it closely without touching it. This will prevent you from getting sick.
Learn more about the amphibians of Washington, visit: www.burkemuseum.org/herpetology
Answers: Specialists: pickleweed, dunlin, seal, porcupine, bat, mussel. Generalists: elk, snake
Roosevelt Elk©Rollin Bannow
Pickleweed©Shawn Schmelzer
Dunlin©Dr Madeline Kalbach
Harbor Seal©Dr Madeline Kalbach
Porcupine©Rollin Bannow
Common Garter Snake©Suzy Whittey
Big Brown Bat©Jackie Ferrier
Western Pearlshell Mussel©Marie Fernandez
Specialist
Ap
Be a Wildlife Sleuth Match the animal with its tracks and scat.
This large scat often has seeds, hair or insect parts
Scat often has visible plant fibers
This sticky trail often has leaves stuck to it
Large, rounded pellets
This scat often has fur and bones
Roosevelt Elk©Rollin Bannow
Coyote©Rollin Bannow
Banana Slug©Rollin Bannow
Great Blue Heron©Rollin Bannow
Black Bear©Suzy Whittey
Porcupine
Runny, wet scat and sometimes cough pellets
It’s All Connected Draw a web of life for your favorite refuge habitat. Remember: in the web of life organisms can be connected because they are predators or prey, as well as habitat for another organism.
Example: Forest Web
Douglas Squirrel©Suzy Whittey
Naturalist of Note
John K. Townsend
1809 -1851
Naturalists Take Note Naturalists and explorers take careful notes and drawings of the things they see, hear, smell and experience. They also note their location, the weather, time of day, temperature and habitat.
Get outside and make a field observation on the space below. Create sketches of what you see (tracks, scat, bones, plants and animals). Take careful notes about location, color, sounds and smells.
Name:__________________
Location:________________
Date & Time:_____________
Notes:A doctor and naturalist from Philadelphia, John K. Townsend traveled to the Pacific Northwest with Thomas Nuttall in 1834. He took careful notes about his observations on this expedition. Below is a portion of his 1836 Report of the Lower Columbia River Region, Oregon and Washington:
“About the first of November the swans, geese and ducks are
seen winging their way over us in the most peculiar manner.
Their flight is then high and the screams - particularly of the swans - are at times almost
deafening.”
Many plants and animals are named in honor of John Townsend and Thomas Nuttall, including our local Townsend’s Chipmunk. See how many plants and animals you can find in your field guide that are named for these famous naturalists.
Weather:________________
Temperature:_____________
Habitat:_________________Trumpeter Swan
©Dr. Madeline Kalbach
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Draw Your Map Here
For more information visit:www.fws.gov/willapa
North
Get Outside in March!Look, listen and smell your neighborhood. Create your own wildlife map in the • space above. Mark where you found parts of your local web of life.
Note locations here: